Marc and Alana went to visit Jen. Their kids sat in their strollers, under Ben’s watchful eyes. He was getting bigger and smarter. Like his mom and dad, he was friendly. Probably not a mean bone in his body. He’d never develop superpowers. That’d destroy his sweetness. He’d have to be always on his guard.
Morrissey was blasting on Apple Music as they sat down to eat and sip Pinot Noir from City Winery. Their conversation flowed as smoothly as the wine and Morrissey’s voice. Some people hate the Moz. He speaks the truth and is a great man and entertainer.
Marc and Alana discussed the mess with Christy A. Jen was still a little shaken from her run-in with them. She was still pleased that Jerry was there to keep them safe. She was amazed at how a little boy could be so strong. But she knows he’s Jay’s kid and Anat adopted him when Jay left him for dead. That kid had to be strong.
Jen’s a decent cook. She served skirt steaks with cauliflower and other veggies. She even baked a peach cobbler. Meanwhile, Christy A. was near the Conference House. She rarely goes to Staten Island. No one was sure why she left Brooklyn. Who would ever?
A band was about to play. They opened with “Rescue” from Echo & the Bunnymen and played a medley of tunes from the Cure, the Smiths, R.E.M., Erasure and the Pet Shop Boys. I guess a cover band can mix the Cure in with the Smiths. Imagine Morrissey and Robert being civil to each other?
They just finished playing R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” and launched into the Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry.” As soon as the vocalist got to the lyrics, “I try to laugh about it and hide all the tears in my eyes,” there were tears all over the Conference House.
Middle-aged adults, some with their young children, were getting smacked with semolina bread. The goths were hit harder than the others. None of the people who usually stopped Christy A. were anywhere near Staten Island.
Almost at the same time, Marc’s, Alana’s, Jen’s and Anat’s iPhones buzzed with an Apple News flash. It mentioned the NYPD was on the scene at the Conference House trying to stop an attack. They texted Dan to see what he knew. He wrote back that he was out in the park with Gili when he got the alert. His commander asked how fast he could get to the Conference House. He said he’d rush over.
Meanwhile, things were getting messier in Tottenville at the site of the Conference House. The emergency response unit was getting smashed. Dan dropped Gili off at his parents’ and jumped into his car and prayed that Anat and her Avenger-like friends were en route. He had no idea.
His Wi-Fi wasn’t working well. He was able to call Anat. She was home and said she’d do her best to get there. But the trip from the Upper East Side to the southernmost tip of Staten Island was not easy to make. She’s not Superman and couldn’t fly. She didn’t have a tie fighter. She would figure it out. She wondered where the others were.
Mitchell's thoughts, photos, etc. 